New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-10
sructlon of tho new nous. win probably be begun next
WHAT PEOPLE. THINK AND SAL.
OUR RIGHTS IN BEHRING SEA.
Is THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE POINT OF soH'
RENDERING THEM

OUR RIGHTS IN BEHRING SEA.
Is THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE POINT OF soH
RENDERING THEM
To the Editor Of The tribune.
SIR: In The Post of this city, an Administrator
organ, appeared on February an editorial announce
ment which, If true. gives color to the fact that SUI
prsing surrender Of our vested rights In Ai ti
waters Is about to be made II Is 50 sor"e,v
blunder-is so fragrant blunder-that can scarce
credit the truth of 1t, but 1t has not been denieo Az
declares that the Attorney eneral has ordereo no
release Of three British sealing schooners e,G; W
they taken outside of the three mile lnii III !.
Behring Seal In other words 1t declares the FAC. '1.
this Administration Is going deliberately to surrehGc
those rights OF dominion over Behrns sea oemtnry
Russia asserted and maintained Tor fuIi c een, o
PRIOR to ceding part OF this control to US IN nv
which have continued to maintain without my
hesitation whatever up to the present moment o.
Russia rom the time of her first discovery ana pos
session OF the waters of Behrng Sea In TO 10 W
the date Of her cesson of Alaska In 1S0I
and Published frequently TO the world her aosoiu,S
ownership and control of that body OF water, nv
In no instance whatever was that right dspu.1u ,bs
any civilized power Her attempt 10 coh.Io' ~
waters OF the North Pacific Ocean, however .eiy
naturally protested, and she. In her treaty sup
la,Ions with in 1924 and with Great britain 80;
ls2o modified that order in manner Wno iayysIv in
factory 10 and Great Britain; but she jealousy "a
sisted and enforced her authority IN tio I" Oil
locked of Kamchatka Tor Behring ms we nov oai,
IL. When she sold ALASKA to US she drew nd
boundary in D~hrng Sea between her Sioeriah ~
Kamchatkan shores end ours OF Alaska she maui w w.,
partition Of Behring Sea in full knowledge OF her ent
to do So and in the presence Of the powers OF ,ns
earh no protest from any of them was made, ana Mo
accepted her limitation ratified the treaty, ana iegs
lated in accordance with its provisions see STATUES
OF July, 1868 stat. 23Ol. H.,
Now this notice In The Post" heretofore ciIeu
states that the Attorne yGencra has surrendered our
right and title to these waters of Bebrug Sea whcn
were explicitly defined and given to MS by hassh
in lS67. Can he set aside an express treaty SUI
lation and annul an express law OF Congress w
should surrender rights ut this late hour WIZ
Russia has held during entire century. ana %u,9n
she gave into keeping more as token oi IrienuSP
than of gain England turrenders nothing u us'
and CLAIMS everything yet Il Is limited by ths scli-
official editorial that we about 10 surrender our
clear right and title to the waters OF the eastern ha
OF Behring Sca-for what To establish the consist,
three mile" claim outside OF shores wasneu
BY the high seas! We might as well surrender our
partition Lake Ontario Lake Erie at the Request OF
Germany The proposition is no more absurd ,hih
is the other.
There Is much at stake for the public good In our
maintenance of light TO part OF Behrins sea.
~ Sumner called it, when describing the terms OF ts
cesson to the senate Were this reported action o'
the Attorney General carried out should surrender
an eternal revenue paid annually into the public treas-
ury derived from the Sea- Islands, and tho power 10
suppress an Infamous traffic which w0ui' ue-
bauoh and ruin 10000 peaceful, coniented Eskimo
Inhabitants OF the mainland, coast and Islands oil pen
ring sea- That any such grave public blndeer anu
noble abdcation OF vested rights Will be permt'a
ont of tho limit of probability: but, to prevent u,
tie light must be turned outright and fulton every
step now taken by this Administration. ALASKA
JdshinGtOn. n, e., Feb 3, 1887.